Indian tennis icon Leander Paes has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), marking a significant transition from his celebrated sports career to the political arena, ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal.
Union Minister J P Nadda criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, accusing it of disregarding democratic procedures, the judiciary, and the Election Commission of India. He alleged that the rule of law has been compromised in the state, particularly concerning the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and MLA Kunal Ghosh were questioned by the CID in Kolkata regarding alleged signature forgery of MLAs for the Leader of Opposition appointment in the West Bengal Assembly. Banerjee faced a second round of interrogation as investigators were unsatisfied with previous replies, and a face-to-face interrogation with Ghosh is possible. The probe stems from discrepancies found in signatures on documents supporting Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for the post.
If your All India Rank (AIR) is in the three digits, you could get a seat at one of the prestigious AIIMS colleges and pay tuition fees of just under Rs 10,000 for the entire course. At the other end of the spectrum, if your AIR is in the lakhs, you could end up shelling out a crore at a private or deemed institution.
Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya in Narendrapur, West Bengal, has indefinitely closed its hostels and suspended classes after a Class 12 student died following an alleged incident involving hot tea. The decision comes amidst widespread protests, a police probe into negligence, and the suspension of three staffers, with the headmaster also offering to resign.
The CBI has arrested two individuals, Vikas Mishra and Golu Singh, in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Another accused, Gyanendra Pratap Singh alias Monu, has surrendered. The CBI is continuing its investigation into the high-profile case.
Four girls who went missing from Guwahati, Assam, have been rescued from Howrah, West Bengal, following a coordinated effort by Assam and West Bengal police.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that criminals in West Bengal would face justice under a BJP government, while addressing concerns about joblessness and women's safety in the state.
The 87th Inter-State Sub-Junior and Cadet National Table Tennis Championships begin in Gandhidham, with 32 teams competing for the boys U-15 title. West Bengal enters as the favourite, while other states like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are expected to challenge.
A new report reveals that nearly half of West Bengal's MLAs have declared criminal cases against themselves, and over half are crorepatis. The report analyses the criminal, financial, and educational backgrounds of the state's legislators based on affidavits submitted during the 2021 elections.
Two individuals have been arrested in Kolkata for allegedly throwing eggs at Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh outside Mamata Banerjee's residence. The incident, which saw one egg strike Ghosh, is under police investigation to determine the motive, with Ghosh expressing concern over potential minor charges leading to quick bail. This attack is part of a series of protests faced by TMC leaders across West Bengal following recent Assembly elections.
The massive fire broke out on Monday afternoon in the three-floor commercial building housing an animation centre, killing at least 15 people, mostly students.
Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Arup Chakraborty on Monday said the breakaway faction is trying to "rectify" the party, and would fight for the control of its election symbol, even as the Mamata Banerjee-led outfit termed the move illegal under the anti-defection law.
Families of the victims who perished in the massive Aliganj fire in Lucknow are mourning their losses, with several alleging that delayed rescue efforts contributed to the high death toll. Many victims, including young animation artists, were trapped, and some attempted to save themselves by jumping from the building.
Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs have merged with the obscure Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a move seen by political observers as a strategic way to support the BJP-led NDA without immediately joining the saffron party and bypassing legal complexities.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the central government of pressuring the outgoing Governor C V Ananda Bose to resign and alleged that his replacement, R N Ravi, is a BJP cadre.
West Bengal police, supported by central forces, conducted a four-hour predawn raid on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata residence in connection with a financial fraud case involving his aide, Sumit Roy. The operation, which Banerjee claims involved forced entry, has been denounced by the TMC as "political vendetta" and comes as Banerjee faces multiple investigations from various agencies, further escalating political tensions in the state.
Kerala Blasters FC secured a 1-1 draw against East Bengal FC in an Indian Super League match, with Muhammad Ajsal scoring a late equaliser after Youssef Ezzejjari had given East Bengal the lead.
The Durand Cup football tournament will feature 24 teams, including seven debutants, across five cities from July 25 to August 23. Kolkata remains the primary hub, hosting the final, while Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong, and Guwahati will also host matches, bringing together a diverse mix of Indian and overseas teams.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Gyanendra Pratap Singh alias Monu, a history-sheeter from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, a former associate of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Singh, who faces multiple criminal cases, was taken into custody from Mau jail and transported to Kolkata for further investigation.
The Election Commission (EC) has suspended a Block Development Officer (BDO) in West Bengal's Nadia district and initiated departmental proceedings against him following violence at a poll training venue where a teacher was allegedly assaulted for objecting to a government advertisement.
A local TMC leader was allegedly hacked to death in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, triggering political tension ahead of the assembly elections.
In a surprising turn of events, AJUP founder Humayun Kabir, a former critic of Mamata Banerjee, has offered her a route back to the West Bengal Assembly from his Rejinagar constituency. This offer comes as Banerjee faces a significant political crisis after the TMC's electoral defeat and internal party rebellion.
A Calcutta High Court judge, Gaurang Kant, disclosed that his elder brother is a national spokesperson for the BJP while hearing Mamata Banerjee's petition challenging the Bhabanipur assembly seat poll result. Despite the disclosure, Banerjee's lawyer expressed full confidence in the judge.
West Bengal Police's Special Task Force and Basirhat Police recovered a significant cache of 16 firearms and 2,345 rounds of ammunition during a search operation in North 24 Parganas district. This latest seizure brings the total recovery in the ongoing Basirhat-Baruipur arms investigation to 51 firearms and 2,705 rounds of ammunition. The investigation continues to identify those involved, examine the weapons' source and intended use, and establish links to criminal networks.
Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives for women's empowerment, citing the Swachh Bharat Mission and PM Awas Yojana. He also criticised the Trinamool Congress government's handling of food distribution and women's security in the state.
A young boy was killed and another person critically injured in an LPG cylinder explosion at a garage in Budge Budge, South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
Kolkata's iconic 'FIFA Gully' has transformed a small neighbourhood lane into a colourful World Cup attraction, with murals and giant cut-outs of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and other football stars celebrating the city's enduring love for the beautiful game.
The Supreme Court questioned the West Bengal government regarding its objection to the maintainability of the Enforcement Directorate's plea concerning alleged obstruction by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a raid, focusing on the fundamental rights of ED officers.
Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Rajya Sabha, becoming the second TMC MP to do so this week. Speculation suggests she may join the BJP, following a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, amidst a broader rebellion within the TMC after its recent electoral defeat.
On Doctors' Day this week let's turn the spotlight onto doctors who decided to become leaders.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP-led central government of planning to increase fuel prices after the West Bengal assembly elections. He challenged the BJP to promise no price hikes for LPG, petrol, and diesel over the next five years.
Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan has been remanded to five days police custody by a Diamond Harbour court on "extortion" and other charges. Khan was arrested near the India-Nepal border after seven FIRs were filed against him, and his interim protection from the Calcutta High Court was vacated.
The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a video surfaced showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress office in West Bengal. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over the 'hostage' situation involving seven judicial officials in West Bengal's Malda district, demanding explanations from state officials and authorising the Election Commission to seek a CBI or NIA probe.
Both the political executive in New Delhi and the newly elected political dispensation in Kolkata must be careful to ensure that their image is not tarnished by induction of undesirable elements in the name of political expediency, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee claims 64 dissident TMC MLAs have submitted their names to the Speaker, constituting over two-thirds of the party's Assembly strength, and has called for a floor test to verify their claims of support amidst a widening split within the Trinamool Congress.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of manipulating voter rolls to divide the state, alleging a conspiracy to deprive Bengali-speaking people of their voting rights. She claims the Election Commission is complicit in deleting lakhs of names from voter lists.
The West Bengal CID conducted marathon questioning of Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and party MLA Kunal Ghosh in connection with an alleged forgery of MLAs' signatures for the appointment of the Leader of Opposition. The leaders faced separate and face-to-face interrogations, with the CID reportedly unsatisfied with previous replies.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has expressed the state government's desire for the Tata Group to return to Singur, viewing it as an economic necessity and a signal that West Bengal is open for business. The move aims to reverse the negative perception created when the Nano project was forced out of the state.
